Pep Guardiola praised the spirit and determination of his Manchester City players after their last-minute victory against Wolves as they prepare for Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Sparta Prague. City, undefeated this season, heads into the match boosted by John Stones’ 95th-minute goal at Molineux on Sunday, keeping them ahead of Premier League leaders Liverpool.
The 2023 European champions have secured four points from their first two group stage matches, following a 0-0 draw with Inter Milan and a 4-0 win over Slovan Bratislava. City, who have won four consecutive Premier League titles, is participating in Europe’s elite competition for the 14th straight season.
At the pre-match press conference, Guardiola emphasized that the way the team celebrated the Wolves victory showed their hunger to keep winning. “The way we celebrated, in October, not in May or April, shows we still have passion”, he said. “In the locker room, I can see they still want it, which means a lot to me.”
Guardiola also expressed satisfaction with how the team has coped without midfielder Rodri, sidelined for the rest of the season due to a knee injury. He highlighted the importance of securing home wins against their Czech opponents, given upcoming matches against Sporting, Juventus, and PSG. Under the new league format, only the top eight of 36 teams automatically qualify for the knockout stage after the initial eight-game schedule. “It’s not easy”, Guardiola remarked, “We must win our home games to secure a top-eight finish, which is our goal.”